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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27742459">Fractured</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiNinja/pseuds/KawaiiNinja'>KawaiiNinja</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coma, Depression, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Postcoma, Temporary Amnesia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:35:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,815</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27742459</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiNinja/pseuds/KawaiiNinja</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>None of the ninja turtles expected that the Kraang would invade on this day. None of them expected that their home would be annihilated, and that Master Splinter would be thrown down a drain. None of them expected that they would be forced to split up, in order to try to save the city and themselves.</p><p>However, even that backfires. As none of them expected that their leader would fall. But worse of all, none of them expected that the sunshine of their family would be shattered.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Invasion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Welcome to this story! This is kind of a canon divergence of "what if this happened instead?"</p><p>I don't really want to give away spoilers of the swap that I did in this story kinda. But this takes place in the last episode of Season 2 and into Season 3. I don't own Tmnt 2012.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Could this day be any worse? First they found out that Irma was a spy for the Kraang, and they were attacked in their own lair, forced to leave. They had managed to dash through the sewer tunnels though they ended up being separated. The Kraang couldn't have chosen a better day to invade. They knew it was bound to happen, but it was too soon.</p><p>They were driven out from their home, away from everything they ever loved and Master Splinter.... Somehow they found him near a drainage pool facing the Shredder. So the Shredder himself decided to attack as well? It was like all their enemies had dropped a bomb.<br/>Though, there was one problem. They couldn't get to Master Splinter there were bars in between them.</p><p>"Sensei!" The four brothers watched in horror as the mutant rat was flung over into the drainage pool. Blood coated the cement, trickling into the murky water. April gasped sharply behind them as Donnie's face fell. Leonardo stared, the world crashing around him. Raphael screamed, slamming his fists against the bars.</p><p>"YOU MONSTER!"</p><p>Shredder glanced at them, his gauntlets stained red before staggering away. Though all Raph saw was hazy red, repeatedly slamming against the bars until the point his skin was beginning to break, bleeding.</p><p>"Raph! That's enough!" Mikey's outburst surprised Leo, Donnie and April. Mikey was the only one who dared to reach out towards the crimson-masked turtle. Raph turned towards Mikey his eyes white slits as he roared, lifting his hands. Shock pierced the air as the orange clad turtle lunged forward, snapping his arms around Raphael into a tight hug. Raph's furious expression washed away like a stone over river as Mikey tightened his hold.</p><p>"Sensei's a master ninja... he's going to be just fine..." the youngest said. Tears exploded from Raph's eyes unable to hold them back. He buried his face against Mikey's shoulder, sobbing.</p><p>Leo's fists were clenched tightly around both sides, almost white. Fury was boiling through him, even through his own tears. Mikey was the only one out of them who was remaining calm. At least, it appeared to be. When everything was chaotic, of course Mikey would be the one telling everyone that everything would be okay even when it wasn't.</p><p>The leader felt a profound urgency to protect his youngest brother more than ever. "Kraang must annihilate the ones known as the turtles." More pink lasers were fired at them. They were found once again! These droids kept coming and coming, seemingly never ending.</p><p>"MOVE!" Leo barked as they were forced to move and attack once again. The five of them had ran down the tunnel, smashing robot parts as more portals began to appear, many more Kraang appearing.</p><p>"We need to get the turtle mech!" Donnie said.</p><p>"No!" Leo shook his head. "Didn't you say it wasn't ready? That thing could destroy New York!"</p><p>"It's ready enough! It's all we have! We have no choice!"</p><p>"There has to be another way!" The four turtles were still dodging the flying lasers.</p><p>"Does it look like there is any other way? If I was leader I would-"</p><p>"Well you're not the leader!" Mikey and Raph shared a worried glance betwixt themselves. Leo and Donnie were at each other's throats and this certainly was not a good time. Not when they were practically under attack.</p><p>"Oh, snap," Mikey muttered.</p><p>"Enough!" Raph shoved himself in between the two. Typically he wasn't one to try to stop a fight and the last time Donnie and Leo were at other's throats Raph enjoyed the show. But this was different. Their lives were on the line and they couldn't be fighting, not like this, not now.</p><p>"I'm getting the turtle mech anyway," Donnie tore himself away.</p><p>"Donnie," April pleaded, though the genius ignored her. More Kraang droids kept coming, this time the four turtles were forced to create some distance between them.</p><p>"AHHH!" Donnie's cry of pain erupted as a laser hit his shoulder, burning against his skin. His bo staff clanged against the cement of the sewer tunnel as he fell. April rushed over towards him, trying to ward off the other droids.</p><p>Mikey roared, spinning his nun-chucks to deflect the blasts away from Donnie, trying to protect his older brother.</p><p>"Run! Take April and Donnie to safety!" Leo exclaimed over the noise of sizzling and guns firing.</p><p>"Dude, we can't leave you too!" Mikey glanced at Leo who clanged his katana blades together into the air.</p><p>"JUST DO IT!" Leo's blades made a loud clanging. "That's it! Kraang over here!" They all turned their attention to the blue banded turtle, now hot on pursuit after him.</p><p>"LEO!" Mikey reached out a hand towards his older brother who ran down the other end of the tunnel.</p><p>"Come on, you heard him! We have to go!" Raph wrapped an arm around Donnie gently hauling him up. The genius using Raph as leverage with April on his other side.</p><p>"I don't like this..." Mikey scowled, clenching his fist tightly. He gazed towards the direction where Leo had gone. Mouth settling into a thin line, the freckled turtle made up his mind. That's it! There was no way he was leaving his oldest brother to fight alone.</p><p>"Mikey!?" He ignored the way Donnie and Raph called his name as the lime-green turtle sprinted after the path that Leo took. He too disappearing after Leonardo.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Broken</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leo managed to direct all the Kraang up to the city above. He sliced one of the heads off with his blade. Metal clanked against the gravel as one particular droid came up from behind. He heard it, though something pierced the air. The blue masked turtle turned, noticing a sharp blade impale the robot's head. It flung away, tearing off the head as he could it was connected to a black chain, and red chucks with yellow diamond insignas.</p><p>Sure enough, his gaze met baby blue irises. "Mikey!? What are you doing here?" Leo took out one his blades from a robotic body as the pink aliens began to flee from their hosts.</p><p>"Helping you dude!"</p><p>"It's too dangerous!"</p><p>"I'm not leaving you alone, bro," Mikey said, clenching his fingers around his chucks. The city was absolute chaos, people screaming and running down the streets. A giant techno drone flying overhead. The sky was zapping with pink light. Leo sighed, judging from Mikey's stubborn expression on his face he wasn't going to leave. The leader was going to sacrifice himself like a true leader would, but now with Mikey with him he couldn't allow anything to happen to his brother.</p><p>"Just stay behind me, and do everything I tell you. If I tell you to run, you must run understand?" He gave his youngest brother a protective look, a solemn expression. He sighed when Mikey didn't say anything. Usually the orange clad turtle wouldn't be one to go against his orders. He had always listened to Leo before. "Promise me. I can't risk losing you."</p><p>"And I can't lose you either," Mikey said with such bold seriousness that caught Leonardo off guard. "I will never abandon you, Leo."</p><p>Before the oldest could open his mouth to say anything another portal appeared.</p><p>"We must obtain the Turtles for the one called "Shredder."</p><p>"Shredder?" One of the droids fired a flare into the air as it exploded. It was no doubt a signal of sorts. Leo's eyes widened, gazing around as he braced himself into a fighting stance. Chorus of shouts filled the air as black ninjas appeared from the rooftops, along with Shredder and his henchmen, Tigerclaw, Fishface, and Rahzar.</p><p>The Shredder raised a hand into the air. "Archers, fire!"</p><p>"Oh, no," Leo mumbled, leaping in front of Mikey to use his blades to deflect the flying arrows.</p><p>The freckled terrapin spun his chucks to ward off the arrows that came like a million shards from the sky. A searing pain hit his arm as the youngest yelped. One arrow had nicked him, zooming past him. A cut forming on his shoulder as blood began to ooze from the open wound.</p><p>"Mikey!" Leo turned, once he caught sight of the blood.</p><p>"I'm fine!" Mikey grimaced, trying to keep himself focused despite the pain. "You're hurt too!" He pointed to Leo's leg where an arrow had sliced his skin as well.</p><p>"It's nothing!" He replied, as footbots leapt from the rooftops. Now the two brothers had no choice but to fight back. "Stop hiding behind your Footbots! Face me, Shredder!" Leo roared, swinging his katana blades to knock several bots back.</p><p>"And me!" Mikey unleashed his kusarigama chain, hurling robots against the slick walls.</p><p>"You are beneath me, foolish turtles!"</p><p>"You should let me finish him, Master," Tigerclaw said. The Shredder nodded his head.</p><p>"Very well," he beckoned towards his henchmen. "Finish them. But don't kill them yet, I want them to suffer."</p><p>All three mutants jumped as Mikey cried out feeling his plastron slam against the cement. Rahzar stood above him, holding out his claws.</p><p>"Today is my lucky day."</p><p>Mikey screamed as both Rahzar and Tigerclaw attacked him at once, while Fishface and the few remaining bots went after Leo. Shredder jumped down, sending Leo tumbling over the edge and into the lower platform of the site they were in.</p><p>"LEO! AGH!" Mikey felt claws dig into his skin. Tigerclaw slashing him as Rahzar then tugged onto his arm. In one swift motion, blinding pain exploded, white light burning in the back of Mikey's eyes as he heard the sound of bone snapping.</p><p>When he finally came to, he found that his arm was dislocated, limp and pale. Blood was gushing from his side, claw marks scraped against his plastron and thighs. Bloody stripes raining down his legs.</p><p>Leo's body fell into the small puddle, coughing out water as he pushed himself out. His blades had fallen, as Shredder stepped over them cracking them. The footbots were gone, Fishface stood back as Shredder unleashed his gauntlet blades. Leo could hear Mikey's screaming over the air. NO! He needed to save his brother!</p><p>To the side he could see Rahzar and Tigerclaw repeatedly slamming the youngest against the cement. Blood was everywhere, gurgling out from Mikey's mouth as his head began to bleed.</p><p>Leo could feel the bruises burning in his body, as he stumbled. He forced himself to move, lunging at Mikey to send Tigerclaw and Rahzar away with a one swift kick. Though that only ended up sending him to his knees from the pain that exploded as his already torn wound from the arrow ripped even wider.</p><p>"Mikey!" Leo grasped onto his brother, tugging him up. The youngest was barely conscious, eyes half lidded. "No, no, no... stay with me!"</p><p>"I'm here..." Mikey's frail voice cracked, coughing as more blood spit from his lips.</p><p>"You have to go! Please...." he reached for Mikey's t-phone to try to send an emergency to either Raph or Donnie.</p><p>"No... it's not use," Mikey pushed his hand away. "T-phone's.... broken..." he gasped.</p><p>"Mikey! You're going to die!" Tears were streaming down Leo's cheeks. There was too much... too much and Mikey was draining rapidly.</p><p>"It is over, freaks," Shredder sneered, holding out his gauntlet blades.</p><p>"No!" Leo turned around, gently dropping Mikey. "You will not kill him! Kill me instead!"</p><p>Through Mikey's ears that kept ringing he couldn't make out anymore words. Though he saw the glint of metal, Shredder's gauntlet blade rising above them, directly over Leonardo. It was blurry but it was enough to force him through the excruciating pain.</p><p>Leo gasped in horror as Mikey flung himself in front of his brother, taking Shredder's blow instead. Flesh tore through the air, as Michelangelo smiled weakly despite the explosion of blood. Then his body was sent slamming into the wall, headfirst. A bone crushing impact that echoed loudly as Leo stared appalled. Now Mikey lay limp, lifeless in a puddle of blood.</p><p>"MIKEY!" Leo screamed as Shredder took the opportunity to slash his arm. Leo fell backwards, spluttering as his vision blurred. Shredder was saying something, pointing above them to the apartment nearby. The leader could hear voices inside, familiar ones.</p><p>And then, Tigerclaw, Rahzar and Fishface picked up Mikey's body flinging him through the window. Glass shattered in all directions as the world fell silent. Leo didn't even bother to fight back as he felt too weak. His body was lifted into the air, he too sent hurling through the already broken window. Shards cutting into his skin.</p><p>There in the room stood five figures, gasping in shock. Blood stained glass littered the floor, with two critically injured turtles. Leonardo and Michelangelo. However, the youngest looked dead. His orange mask stained red.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Despair</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"LEO!"</p><p>"MIKEY!" Donnie knelt down the blue masked turtle while Raph was at Mikey's side. "Mikey's not breathing!"</p><p>Leo was fazing in between consciousness and unconsciousness. He reached out a desperate hand towards his lifeless brother.</p><p>"Perform CPR, Raph!" Leo could make out a blurry figure of red pressing his palms against Mikey's plastron, tears leaking from his emerald green eyes. "Leo's shell is cracked." And that was the last thing he saw and heard before the darkness sucked the leader into a dark abyss.</p><p>April and Casey were around them, along with Mr. Kirby. The sound of cloth tearing, towels being wrapped around Leo's wounded body and April trying to stop the bleeding on Mikey.</p><p>"Come out, we know you're in there!" Tigerclaw barked. "You are finished."</p><p>Raph ignored them as he continued to pound his fists against Mikey's plastron, blowing air into his lungs. For an agonizing few minutes, there received no response from Mikey. That was until his body lurched, spasming.</p><p>Donnie ran over to Mikey's side, kneeling down to take his pulse as he ordered April and Casey to help carry Leo. "He's breathing, and his pulse is weak. If he stops breathing again, keep performing CPR." Raph nodded his head hastily as he and Donnie helped to lift Mikey into the air. "We have to get out of here!"</p><p>Raph sent the couch a swift kick to knock it out the window in order to try ward off some of Shredder's henchmen outside. This bought them some time to rush out the backdoor ow there Kirby pointed to the garden gate. Leo and Mikey's lives were on the line and they couldn't fathom losing either of them.</p><p>"Take my old party wagon!" Kirby threw his keys to April. "Go!"</p><p>"Dad!" Though none of them could do anything as a Technodrome flew overhead, shooting out mutagen. Unfortunately, Kirby took the hit to prevent the teens from getting splattering. "DAD!"</p><p>"April," Donnie cried, despite the tears pouring down his face as he and Raph ran towards the party wagon, gently putting Leo inside. "WE HAVE TO GO!"</p><p>April and Casey followed after them, setting Mikey into the back of the vehicle alongside Leo. The four of them leapt in, Casey in the driver's seat as he slammed onto the gas. Shredder's henchmen could be seen running out into the street as none of them even bothered to look back.</p><p>Casey has never sped so fast in his entire life, over 100 miles per hour. Hands clenching the wheel, palms ashen white.</p><p>"Are they okay?" April asked as Donnie and Raph were tending to the two wounded turtles in the back. The olive green turtle draped a blanket over Leo and another over Mikey.</p><p>"They're both critically injured, though Mikey's condition is worse. Leo is breathing though it is shallow," came Donnie's reply.</p><p>"Mikey's stopped breathing again!" Raph's voice broke. The genius turned, panic once again on his face.</p><p>"No, no, no, not again..."</p><p>"Come on, ya hear me?!" Raph roared, pressing his palms against Mikey's plastron a second time. "Don't ya dare do this to me! Don't ya dare die!!!" Tears cascaded down his cheeks as he continued to slam his fists onto Mikey's chest. Mikey's body lurched once again, before a weak beat resonated underneath Raph's hand. The hothead sobbed, clinging onto his baby brother.</p><p>"This is very bad... very... bad..." Donnie sighed heavily.</p><p>"What's wrong?" April questioned, though she already knew of Mikey's dire situation.</p><p>"Judging from his critical injuries and severed wound on the head," Donnie placed a hand onto Mikey's cheek noticing the torn cloth was now soaked with blood. This left him no choice but to tear off his own wrappings. "It doesn't look like he got one blow to the head but rather several. The side of his skull is cracked, there is no doubt he's suffered brain damage. To the extent of the damage caused, we won't know until he wakes up..... if he ever wakes up..." The genius pulled back once he carefully rewrapped Mikey's head. "This is all my fault..."</p><p>"Donnie..." April mused, frowning with tears leaking from her eyes.</p><p>"If only I had listened to him," Donnie faced Leo who was still unconscious and luckily breathing. They didn't even have any time to pack their things, everything was taken away from them in the span of a day.</p><p>"I have a place we can go upstate. My old family home. We used to go there every summer. We can stay as long as we want. No one's around for miles," April said, turning back to the front as she sniffled.</p><p>"Upstate, eh? Sounds good to Casey Jones," the hockey player replied. Though he and Red continued to talk as the other two turtles tuned them out, still engrossed onto the two unconscious turtles.</p><p>"Keep an eye on him..." Donnie gazed at Raph who held Mikey close to him. "In case he stops breathing again... he probably will since his brain can't function in telling his heart to beat and lungs to breathe. And we have no ventilator so you're going to have to continue CPR. We can switch off."</p><p>Raph nodded his head, still not saying anything.</p><p>"I know it's agonizing, to see him like this and to keep doing this," Donnie tucked his knees into a bent position. "But we have to hold on... for Master Splinter.... for Leo... and for Mikey..." The olive-green turtle shuddered, leaning his shell against the side of the party wagon. He didn't dare to close his eyes, no not when Mikey could die at any given moment.</p><p>Though the drive was long, dark hours that seemed like days on end up to North Hampton. Several times Mikey quit breathing, several times his heart stopped beating. Raph and Donnie had to both switch off performing CPR to jump start his heart again. It was bitter, agonizing work. Donnie even took a chord out from the wall of the car, using it to shock Mikey's body. Then his body returned to a weakened state.</p><p>No one slept that night. The only sounds were Leo's pained grunts, and the car against the road.</p><p>"Mikey.... Mikey..." the two brothers frowned, gazing at Leo who was still unconscious, though his face was scrunched up in pain. Their eyes were blood shot, though none of them bothered to jostle Leo. Even the leader wouldn't wake up either, only repeating Mikey's name in his unconscious state.</p><p>•••</p><p>Leo gasped sharply as everything was black, blood pooling around his feet. And then he saw it, Mikey's dead body lying there. He could see every wound that was inflicted upon the youngest's body. His eyes were open, lifeless without color. Mouth hanging open, blood split from his lips. Dislocated shoulder, scarred plastron, arrow sticking out from his side. There was too much blood, he was feeling sick.</p><p>"MIKEY!" The blue masked turtle cried, running towards the body. However, the scenery changed as the body seemed to move as it was disappearing away from him. Leo screamed, hand reaching out towards his dead brother as he fell onto his knees. The darkness was curling around him, suffocating.</p><p>"I failed him.... it's all my f-fault.... I killed my brother..."</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Into the Countryside</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been weeks since the four of them had arrived at their destination: the Farmhouse, or in the other words April's old summer home.</p><p>Michelangelo was lifted and placed into the tub, the water low. Donatello had stated that the water would keep him hydrated. As for Leonardo they left him on a bed as he had shifted a bit, though still unconscious. Raph and April stayed behind to watch over the two while Donnie and Casey headed to the nearest gas station in hopes to find whatever medical supplies they could. Donnie was clever enough to find some plastic tubes and bags he could use for IVs. This would certainly come in handy.</p><p>They had returned later that night, supplies in tow. Donnie instructed that they remove Mikey from the tub and onto a bed as it would better accommodate him. Now that he had a machine and IVs bags to use to help regulate Mikey's bodily fluids., keeping him hydrated.</p><p>They switched Leo to the tub instead. The next few days were rather difficult. Donnie decided to slowly build his own lab in the barn. Raphael spent his time outside punching trees in fury, trying to distract his thoughts.</p><p>April sat on the bench swing, notebook on her lap. She began to write the events of what happened. "I'll never forget the night we left New York City." She read her words upon her journal. "The Kraang defeated us. Leo got badly hurt. Mikey almost died. Master Splinter is gone. We lost. We had nowhere left to go. So we came to the old farmhouse I grew up in, miles away from the city a place we could all be safe in. The first thing we did was take care of poor Leonardo and Michelangelo. Raphael keeps a constant vigil over Leo and Mikey waiting for them to wake up. Donatello built a lab in the barn, trying to create a mutagenic medicine to heal Mikey. And then there's me, April o'Neil. I spend most of my time training with the Turtles and writing in my ever expanding journal. I miss New York, my Sensei, my dad. Hopefully Leo and Mikey will both recover, and we can all go home soon, if there's even a home to go back to." She sighed heavily, depressed. "But life, as Master Splinter would say, we must continue on." Closing the notebook, she got up to trail back to the house.</p><p>The food they ate mainly included leftovers, though April did cook several meals. Though it was straining for the redhead to drag Donnie and Raph to eat. The two of them seemed to be depressed to do anything else, and when they did eat it was always done in silence.</p><p>"They will wake up, they have to," April broke the silence as they were eating leftovers at the dinner table.</p><p>"Leo is more likely, Mikey on the other hand may never," Donnie said defeatedly.</p><p>"Come on, Donnie, don't be like this."</p><p>"Even if he does wake up, he will never be the same again."</p><p>"Mikey has received a lot of hits to the head before," Casey said, plopping some veggies into his mouth. "And he still turned out fine." The two teens yelped as the purple clad turtle slammed his fists against the table.</p><p>"Do you think this is a joke, Casey?!"</p><p>"No!" Casey raised his arms up in defense. "I never implied that, I was just saying-"</p><p>"Mikey has been hit to the head far too many times! We always treated him like he was so dumb..." Indignation began to bleed from Donnie's face as the tears came full-force. Raph too was silent, poking at his food with guilt written on his face. "And now.... he's never going to be the Mikey we knew..."</p><p>April sighed, returning to eating her meal. Oh how she wished that Mikey could just wake up, or even Leo. Perhaps Leo could help them with this situation.</p><p>The next few days were rather quiet, until Raphael began to shout alerting everyone. "He's awake! Leo is awake!" All three of them crammed themselves into the upstairs bathroom as Leonardo could be seen opening his eyes, shifting in pain.</p><p>"Agh..."</p><p>"You're awake!"</p><p>It took a minute for Leo to come back to reality as he tried to lift his head. "Don't move," Donnie reached out towards him. "We should move him to the couch downstairs." They did so, gently hauling Leo's body from the tub and downstairs.</p><p>Leo groaned, hands rubbing the sides of his face. Donnie took out a stethoscope that he had created from scratch, listening to the leader's heartbeat and instructing him to breathe.</p><p>"I've been out for two weeks?..." Leo croaked, his voice raspy from underuse.</p><p>"You has us worried sick, Leo," April touched his arm gently. "Raph barely slept."</p><p>"Why does he sound different?" Casey asked, "his voice is deeper."</p><p>"He sustained damage to his throat and pretty much everywhere else, for that matter," Donnie replied, once he had finished with his checkup. "Here. Take some more of my special patented mutagen medicine. You'll be healed in no time," he handed the jar with a spoonful. Leo took it, shuddering.</p><p>"Agh, that feels like it's supposed to come out of me not into me."</p><p>"First thing tomorrow, we're gonna start training again, you and me," Raph slung a gentle arm around Leo's shoulders. "I'll have you on your feet in no time, bro."</p><p>"Yes, you'll need to regain strength in your muscles," Donnie said.</p><p>"Wait..." Leo paused, realizing something. The youngest wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Where's Mikey?" Judging from the way everyone's expressions fell, it was not good.</p><p>"Leo... he's in a coma..." Donnie said quietly.</p><p>The leader gasped, bringing a hand to his face. It came to him all at once, the flashback jarring his brain. He and Mikey were fighting Shredder, Footbots and his henchmen. They had been outnumbered, both injured. Mikey's body slamming against the cement repeatedly. So much split blood, a bone crushing sound that Leo would never forget. The moment his brother leapt in front of him, to take the blow from Shredder instead that was meant for Leo</p><p>"N-NO!" Leo coughed, tears leaking down his cheeks as his body shook. His hands clenched onto the edges of the couch. "M-Mikey! No, no, no.. I failed him... I failed him!..." Leo could not hear Donnie and Raph as he began to sob, curling in onto himself.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Awakening</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been months since Leonardo woke up. Unfortunately, Mikey made no progress. The leader would never leave Mikey's side. He kept muttering how this was all his fault. Though Donnie and Raph tried to console the blue masked terrapin, nothing seemed to work. He shouldn't be blaming himself. If anything, it was Shredder's and his minions fault. They were the ones that hurt both Leo and Mikey, Tigerclaw and Rahzar were the ones to pay. Since Leo recalled everything that happened in vivid detail.</p><p>"Leo, come on," April touched his shoulder gently. "We should go outside to help exercise your leg." It was obvious that Leonardo had broken his kneecap, as Donatello put a cast upon it. Though even after it healed he was instructed to move around to gain strength in his leg. It had not been used in a long time, and needed to rebuild muscle.</p><p>"No," the leader shook his head. Keeping a hand onto the bed that Mikey laid on, Leo shuffled closer to his baby brother. April sighed deeply.</p><p>"You have to stop blaming yourself, you know?" April whispered, hoping to at least get through him. It was heartbreaking to see Leonardo like this. It didn't help that he always woke up in the middle of the night screaming and sobbing. Perhaps reliving that day... that nightmare.</p><p>Though yet he was still as stubborn as ever, not even wanting to leave Mikey's side to eat or do anything for that matter. April was about to leave until she heard Leonardo gasp. "He twitched! I saw it!" Leo gasped, eyes wide as he clasped hands with his baby brother. "Come on, Mikey," he squeezed his hand gently. "Wake up." Michelangelo's eyelids fluttered, before opening to reveal baby blue orbs. Yet they weren't the same hue, but rather clouded looking. "HE'S AWAKE!"</p><p>April burst from the room, hurrying outside to inform Casey, Raph and Donnie. Tears pooled down Leo's cheeks as he squeezed his brother's hands gently.</p><p>"M-Mikey..." The clouded blues gazed at him, puzzled. And yet, Leo could see it in his eyes. No recognition flashed there. Mikey didn't know who he was... and Leo could feel his heart shattering in half. Rushed footsteps sounded behind him, Donnie gently pushing him aside.</p><p>Raph stood next to Leo, tears too leaking. "Mikey, Mikey, do you hear me?" Donnie touched his shoulder, performing several tests on the turtle. He shone a light to see how Mikey would react as the turtle recoiled. Holding up a finger he waved it in front of the freckled turtle's gaze to see if his eyes would follow. They did much to the genius' relief. "Do you know who I am?" The turtle on the cot didn't respond, unable to move. "Blink twice if you can understand me." Mikey did so, blinking twice.</p><p>Mikey's eyes scanned his surroundings, confused, terrified. His eyes flicked wildly, as he found that he could not move nor talk. His body wouldn't respond to him no matter how hard he tried. Where was he!? And who were these giant enormous turtles? Though they did appear to look like him. But he didn't know who they were, not even the two humans watching from the other side.</p><p>"Do you know who I am?" The purple masked turtle asked again. Mikey didn't blink twice, his gaze shifting to the side. The olive-green turtle then sobbed, choking as the tears blinded his vision.</p><p>"Donnie," April reached out towards him. All eyes were on the genius turtle.</p><p>"It's as I expected.... He doesn't remember who we are..." Donnie's voice came out rasped and defeated. "And he can't talk or move..." The tallest of the four turtles broke down.</p><p>Mikey blinked, watching the figures. He didn't quite understand. Why were they sobbing? Muttering 'Mikey,' a name that sounded foreign to him. Why did these strangers care for him? So many questions fluttered through his mind.</p><p>Eventually he was lured back in the darkness. The space where he had to find solace, trapped into the confines of his own mind. Was this another dream? Was he still asleep? There were so many fragments that Mikey couldn't discern reality and what was imagination. The only thing he vaguely remembered was the feeling of his body slamming in unbearable pain. A bone crushing sound against the side of his skull and then... his brain exploded. He never felt anything like it before. From pain to nothingness in a matter of seconds.</p><p>And then the darkness was all he knew. It suffocated him, he wanted out. It somehow felt like his body was dead, yet his damaged mind was still alive. This was a curse to be awake in a dead body. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he couldn't even make his own eyelids flutter. He wanted to be dead! But no... his soul was locked up.</p><p>Though he could hear voices, loud and clear. The same ones he had grown accustomed to. He didn't fairly recognize them, but somehow they brought comfort to his imprisoned soul.</p><p>They were the same voices of the three turtles that he had just seen. So it was them... these strangers... he knew them somehow. And it was painful to realize... that he couldn't remember.</p><p>Something pricked his arm, he felt it. This time his eyes responding. They opened once again. So this was no dream? He was actually awake? Something cold touched his lips.</p><p>"You need to drink some water, Mikey," it was the purple masked turtle. His expression grave. The redhead girl and black-haired boy were no longer in the room. How long was he out again? It seemed like several hours since the sky was dark through the window. Someone else was asleep on a chair, that one turtle who wore a red bandana.</p><p>"Mikey... do you forgive me?" A hand touched his. Flicking his eyes to the right, he was met with midnight blue orbs.</p><p>"Leo," the purple turtle turned to gaze at him, sad and angry. So the blue one was Leo. "You can't just ask him. He can't talk, remember!"</p><p>"I know that he will never be the same again..." Leo sniffled, his bottom lip trembling. "But I just need to know..."</p><p>"You know it's not your fault."</p><p>A feeling surged through the orange masked turtle. Remorse? Sadness? Just seeing the pain on the blue masked turtle's face made him want to reach out and hug him. Was he blaming himself? Mikey didn't exactly remember the details of that night. But one thing was for sure, he couldn't hate this stranger... or person that he knew or was supposed to.</p><p>With that, he nodded his head. The movement must've shocked the purple masked turtle for he sputtered in surprise, tears leaking from his eyes. Mikey was confused, why were they crying? All he did was nod his head.</p><p>"He nodded his head!" A hand was touching his cheek fondly. "Perhaps... there is hope that he will regain movement of his body again." Then he felt the cool liquid hitting the back of his throat. "Easy," the olive-green turtle instructed.</p><p>The water felt refreshing against his throat. He allowed himself to relax as the purple masked turtle shuffled over to check the monitor machine. Now it was just the blue masked turtle keeping a hand onto his shoulder. Mikey watched him for a moment, taking note of the pain and despair in those midnight pools... but also... relief and joy. So many emotions intertwined together.</p><p>"Mikey..." he spoke softly. "I am so glad you are finally awake. Donnie says that you suffered brain damage and fell into a coma. You may never be the same Mikey we knew... but one thing for sure... I can't lose my baby brother..."</p><p>Baby brother? So he was their youngest brother? These turtles were his brothers? Mikey closed his eyes, feeling a dull ache against the back of his skull. It hurt too much to think, he wanted to remember why couldn't he!?</p><p>"Take it easy," the purple one was back, rubbing circles on his hand. A soft pressure point, that allowed his body to relax. "You need to rest, you need it." And he did just that. After all, he was used to the darkness.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Fragments</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"If only I had an equipment that allows me to scan his brain to see what part got damaged. But typically when one goes into a coma their reticular formation is damaged. Hence why one goes into a state of deep unconsciousness," Donnie mused as they were all in the kitchen, seated at the kitchen table.</p><p>"So... if his reticular... is damaged what does that mean?" Leo gazed at the genius turtle worriedly. They had woken up the next day, while Mikey was still asleep.</p><p>"Well it's primary functions are for recuperative sleep, sexual arousal and ability to focus on tasks without being distracted. But since he's awake, it appears that spot in his spinal cord has repaired itself."</p><p>"Repair itself?" Raph gazed at the genius. "How?"</p><p>"That's one of the few wonders of our bodies," Donatello grinned. "Sometimes the brain can heal itself. Though sometimes not in all cases. Other times, the brain can adapt despite having a defect either in itself or in the body. Maybe Mikey's brain will adapt despite the damage done. But judging from the way Mikey acts, I theorize that his Hippocampus, Broca's Area and Cerebellum are damaged." At the blank expressions of Leo, Raph, Casey and April Donnie shook his head. "The Hippocampus is responsible for emotion, memory and the autonomic nervous system. It is clear that Mikey is having memory issues. Broca's Area due to his inability to produce speech, and Cerebellum since he can't move his body."</p><p>A beeping noise startled the five of them as Donnie snatched his t-phone. "Oh no..." his face paled.</p><p>"What is it?" Leo immediately stood from his chair, as it scrapped against the wooden floor.</p><p>"It's Mikey... his blood pressure is high..." Leo moved before any of them could say another word. The leader already sprinting out from the kitchen with Raph and Donnie got on his heels.</p><p>When they came to the room the heart rate monitor could be heart beating frantically. It was too fast, Leo and Raph didn't have to be a doctor to know. It almost sounded like screeching as Donnie scrambled for an injection. Then the noise stopped at all once, deadbeat silence- except for a blaring beep.</p><p>"MIKEY!"</p><p>•••</p><p>"Ah! Ah!" Mikey could feel his head smacking repeatedly against the cement. Every blow sending spasms throughout his entire body. Red splattered in his sight, gushing from his head. There was a bitter taste in his mouth, metallic. His body was screaming, and then he felt it. Something snapped inside his head. It felt like his brain had exploded. There was hot liquid pooling underneath his skull.</p><p>It felt like his soul was on the verge of death, lifting out from his body. The world was blurry, he couldn't hear anything. There was a blue blob in front of him. It was that same turtle he saw before. The one wearing blue. His lips were moving, though he couldn't understand.</p><p>And there it was. The glint of metal behind him. The blue blob glanced up, and then Mikey reacted. Forced the last bit of remaining strength he had, flinging himself in front of the turtle, taking the devastating blow instead. He couldn't register the pain. Only a blinding flash of white in his eyes.</p><p>Then the abyss of nothingness. He was dead... this was it... a seemingly never-ending darkness.</p><p>And then he heard it, faint noises even though he couldn't see anything.</p><p>"If only I had listened to him," a different voice spoke.</p><p><em>DONNIE... </em>The name coursed through his mind. How did he....</p><p>"He may never wake up!"</p><p><em>DONNIE!</em> Why did he keep calling out that name? He wanted to reach out to him, let him know that everything would be okay. But he couldn't.... he couldn't do anything.</p><p>"Do you think this is a joke, Casey?!" Donnie was furious. Why was he angry? Mikey could hear screaming followed by sobbing. A wretched sound that tore through him. He slammed himself against the invisible barrier of his mind. It wouldn't budge.</p><p>"Don't ya dare die on me!"</p><p><em>RAPH! </em>That gruff voice, he could feel his body somehow jerking even though he couldn't see himself. What was going on?!</p><p>"I'm so sorry... this is all my fault.."</p><p><em>Leo... </em>The name was clear. <em>No, it's not your fault.</em> He wanted to hug him, do anything! But his body wouldn't respond, merely dead weight.</p><p>"If only I hadn't gone alone... then you wouldn't have followed after me. But you did... what were you thinking?!" There was sound of sobbing, something wet hitting his hand. Tears. "I should've taken that blow, not you. And now... here you are... you nearly died... now stuck in a coma... Donnie says you may never wake up, and even if you do you probably won't be the same again... You don't deserve this... it should be me instead..."</p><p>Then he heard shuffling, weight lifting off his arm. Mikey began to panic. He could sense that Leo was leaving the room somehow.</p><p><em>No, no! Come back! Don't leave me alone! </em>He screamed, and once again no sound left him. Only silence remained. Now he was alone again in the thoughts of his own mind. It was so lonely. This felt like hell, nothing but suffering. He felt imprisoned in his own body. He just wanted to die and be free from this prison.</p><p>"NO! YOU ARE NOT DYING!"</p><p>He felt his plastron lurching. Electricity shocking his heart, forcing it to beat. A steady rhythm pulsing. The turtle could feel the aching inside his body, registering pain.</p><p>Mikey gasped, eyes flying open as he breathed heavily. Of course, those three blobs were around him. Red, blue, and purple. There was the sound of crying.</p><p>"Holy chalupa..." the purple one was taking in a deep breath. He looked as if he was about to faint. "It's a good thing... I had this monitor connected to my t-phone..." There was a clicking noise. "I have no doubt his medulla is also damaged, since his blood pressure and heart rate is whack. His brain can not regulate it properly. He is stable for now, but it's likely this will happen again."</p><p>"I swear this Knucklehead will be the death of me," Raph tugged at his face, trying to scrub the tears away. "I don't know how much my heart can take. He's gonna end up giving me a heart attack. This is what... the hundredth time he's stopping breathing and heart flat lined?"</p><p>"Mikey... you can not die, you hear me?" The freckled turtle blinked hazily, seeing nothing but midnight blue in front of him. "I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you die..." he choked again, biting his lip tightly as tears trickled down his cheeks.</p><p><em>I know</em>, Mikey wanted to say.<em> I heard you, that one time. You blame yourself.</em></p><p>"You have to promise that you'll keep fighting," Leo squeezed his hand gently. "I won't let you go. We need you more than you could ever understand."</p><p>Mikey could feel a deep emotion surging through him.</p><p>Leo glanced down as he could feel something faint. Mikey's fingers curled slightly, over his own. It was extremely weak, but he felt it. Leo's eyes glossed over, crying. He reached over to hug his brother gently.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Blank Space</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Though Mikey still had memory problems, the brothers were relieved that he could now remember who they were. Perhaps Mikey could piece together all these fragments in his mind. It had been days, and those days weren't peaceful to say. Mikey's blood pressure of course kept spiraling, and his heart had to be shocked several times in order to get it beating properly again.</p><p>And not to mention the seizures that came after that. It was painful to watch the youngest be in so much pain. Though Donatello eventually gave him some medications that would help to pull him out from the epilepsy. Though the seizures became less frequent, they still occurred. Donnie noted that it was due to the traumatic injury his brain had suffered, and that was what was causing his body to go into such an erratic convulsion.</p><p>It seemed day by day Mikey was finally able to move parts of his body. Donatello suggested that he take some physical therapy to try to get the youngest to walk again. It was difficult considering Mikey's legs were extremely wobbly, and he couldn't keep himself standing up for too long. And other times, no matter how hard he tried his muscles just wouldn't conform.</p><p>"Come on, let's take you outside, some fresh air will do you good," Donnie helped to guide Mikey out along with Raph. Leo followed behind them as they went to the backyard of the Farmhouse. Now they had wide space. "I want you to try to walk, without any help."</p><p>Mikey could feel himself panic, shaking his head rapidly.</p><p>"Are you sure this is a good idea, Donnie?" Leo glared at the genius turtle.</p><p>"He will never heal unless he learns to walk by himself."</p><p>"Are you kidding? He's in no state to-"</p><p>"This is critical to his recovery, Leo," Donnie sighed. "He needs to do this on his own." The leader sighed before stepping back with his arms folded across his plastron. He didn't like this one bit. "Okay, we're going to let go slowly," Donnie instructed.</p><p>Mikey nodded his head, feeling Raph and Donnie release him. With the sudden leaning support gone, Mikey could feel himself stumbling nearly toppling over. Leo reached out towards him as Donnie pulled him back.</p><p>"Let him."</p><p>Mikey's body shook violently, gazing down at his legs that felt like they were going to collapse underneath him. He closed his eyes tightly, breathing in deeply. Some breathing exercise Donnie had taught him. He propelled himself to move, raking one wobbly step.</p><p>The freckled turtle smiled at the thumbs up that Raph held up. He took this as opportunity to take another step. However, his body spasmed, jerking. Eyes rolled to the back of his head as Donnie and Raph both moved, already prepared.</p><p>They caught Mikey's body before he hit the ground, lowering him down as the turtle began to seize uncontrollably. This was becoming a weekly routine, and Donnie was picking up the signs before Mikey would an convulsing episode.</p><p>Leo clenched his fists tightly at his side as he could hear Donnie whispering soothing words to Mikey, while Raph held his body gently.</p><p>"This is my fault...." Leo gritted his teeth tightly. Mikey was this way because of him.</p><p>"S-shut... u-up...." a frail broken voice said. All three heads turned in shock. Mikey was breathing heavily with half lidded eyes, sweat trickling down his skin as he tried to calm himself from his epileptic episode.</p><p>Mikey pushed against Raph and Donnie's hands. "Mikey..." Donnie reached out to his brother who slapped his hand away. It was more like a tap, but Mikey forced himself to stand despite the way his body lurched.</p><p>The orange masked turtle shook, taking staggering steps towards Leo. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Leo's jaw dropped as the youngest now stood before him. Mikey's legs gave out underneath him, as Leo caught him. "S-hut... u-up...." This was the first time Mikey had ever spoken.</p><p>"I've got you," Leo wrapped his arms around his brother, bringing them both down onto the grass. Raph stepped forward, only to feel Donnie stop him, hand on his plastron.</p><p>"Let them be," Donnie gazed at the two. "I have a feeling they need to talk."</p><p>The hothead gave a curt nod, before turning around to return to the house alongside Donnie. Silence befell the oldest and youngest as they sat on the grass. The cool breeze was gentle as the sun began to peak between several wispy clouds.</p><p>"Perhaps you're right..." Leo trailed, smiling sadly. "I should stop being so hard on myself." The youngest terrapin nodded as if he was satisfied.</p><p>"L... L-eo..." he coughed, face scrunching up in pain.</p><p>"You don't need to talk," Leo touched his shoulder softly. "Especially if it hurts." Mikey shook his head.</p><p>"N-no... t-turtle... left behind... protect-.... b-brothers... even until... d-death... got your... back.."</p><p>Leo laughed softly, leaning back onto his hands. "It should be the other way around. The oldest is supposed to protect the younger ones, especially the youngest," he met Mikey's gaze.</p><p>"Will die... protecting you... and... D- and Raph... brothers.... f-fight to the e-end..." Mikey breathed heavily, closing his eyes tiredly.</p><p>Leo curled his fingers into the grass feeling himself tear up. "And that's why you're the best baby brother ever. You always watch out for us. I know I can trust you to protect me and will willingly take the hit instead."</p><p>"Over my life..." Leo turned his head in surprise noticing Michelangelo staring ahead. His baby blues appeared to be clouded, staring off into space.</p><p>"Hey," Leo reached out to touch his arm. "It's perfectly fine to want to protect us. But please don't ever think that you can just throw your life around like it doesn't mean anything."</p><p>Mikey didn't reply, still staring ahead. Leo didn't know what was more frightening, his silence or the blank look in his eyes.</p><p>"Mikey..." he said in concern.</p><p>"Go... back... inside," Mikey pointed back to the Farmhouse. The leader sighed, nodding his head. He gently hauled Mikey up to help the youngest back to the house.</p><p>But one thing was for sure. He wasn't letting his brother off. Leo had a distinct feeling that something was wrong.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Runaway</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mikey shook his head, tears pooling into his eyes. It hurt too much to even use his shoulder muscles to swing his own nun-chucks. Though he was able to fully walk now, with the help of a crutch.</p><p>His speech production had also improved, though, however, he still stumbled upon his words. Though Mikey had to admit that it was difficult to be along the sidelines while his brothers went about doing business. Especially since, Leo had an ordeal with a plant mutant, Donnie with a giant monkey-thing. Which led to him trying to impress April, and then when they discovered that the Farmhouse had a basement. Mikey himself knew that something was off about April's mom and he tried to tell his brothers about it, despite him not being able to form any coherent words.</p><p>He was only ushered back to bed to rest, which infuriated the orange masked turtle. "MIKEY!" He had forced himself out from the room, storming down the steps and outside. All he saw was red, and then darkness. The next moment he knew he woke up to slime and mucus, bodily fluids that coated his skin. The mom-thing, it had used his body. Mikey fell to his knees, hurling bile.</p><p>"Are you okay?" A hand touched his shell. Of course it was Leo.</p><p>"You... didn't... believe.... me..." Donnie and Raph came to his side, all three of his brothers concerned. Wiping the acidic saliva from his mouth, he jerked his arm at his brothers.</p><p>"I'm fine!" He snapped. Usually he would allow his brothers to assist him back to the house, but this time he didn't want it. It was only simply a reminder that he couldn't do anything right.</p><p>For the rest of the week, he lay bedridden until his stomach began to return to normal. Leo finally suggested that he go out for some air, to practice training once again. Mikey was dreading it. What was the point? To humiliate himself further? The fact that he used to be able to practice ninjitsu so flawlessly and now it was like his body betrayed him.</p><p>"Come on, you need it," Donnie gently pulled him off the cot as the youngest had no choice. He used his crutches to follow his brothers to go outside. The sky was azure blue, the temperate perfect.</p><p>Leonardo handed him his nun-chucks as Mikey's fingers clenched around them. Why did they feel so unfamiliar? It didn't feel right. "Let's go slow, okay?" His crutches were removed as he now had to stand on his own upon shaky legs. Mikey turned, facing Leo. Raph and Donnie were sparring, throwing punches and kicks. "I want you to get into a stance." Leo demonstrated as Mikey watched him. It took all of his willpower not to stumble as he gritted his teeth tightly. His legs were still wobbly. "Try hitting me with your nun-chuck, take your time."</p><p>Mikey took in a deep breath, lifting his one arm into the air. He could feel his shoulder twinging with pain. Moving it down, he swung his chuck at Leo. All at once his body gave out underneath him. Leo was quick to react, catching him before he face plant onto the ground.</p><p>"I've got you," he gently pushed the freckled terrapin back into a standing position. "Try again." Pursing his lips, Mikey took another step. This time, his leg decided to betray him pain flaring up his body. The turtle yelped, falling sideways as Leo reached out to grasp onto his other arm gently, preventing him from falling over. "Again."</p><p>"I can't...." Mikey could feel the tears burning his eyes. He was now upon his hands and knees in the grass. Leo bent down so he could be at eye level with his brother.</p><p>"I know it hurts," Leo said softly. "But trust me when I say that you'll never going to get better unless you keep trying. Heck even I still have to train because of my leg," Leo gestured to himself. </p><p>"But at least... it's nothing like me..." Mikey frowned.</p><p>"Mikey, I know you can do this."</p><p>"I can't... I can't..." he shook his head rapidly, "it's been like this for weeks!"</p><p>"You must be patient, little brother."</p><p>"I'm never going to be the same again," Mikey's fingers clenched onto the grass tightly. "Right? Didn't Donnie say that I won't ever be the same again because the brain damaged I've suffered?" He lifted his chin to gaze at Leo. The leader bit his lip tightly, averting his eyes. What could he say to that? Donnie was right. Mikey did suffer traumatic brain injury and sure he was getting better, but that didn't mean that he might ever be the same again. In fact, Leo hadn't seen the youngest smile or goof around, nor had he ever said a joke since he woke up. His personality definitely had changed.</p><p>"Don't say that."</p><p>"I'm USELESS!" His sudden outburst even surprised Donnie and Raph who had stopped in their sparring.</p><p>"Mikey, how could you say that?" Leo's eyes widened in horror. "Of course you're not-"</p><p>The youngest sniffled, lifting his head to gaze at his brothers' concerned expressions. His body began to shake violently. No, no, no, he couldn't have a seizure now! The turtle forced himself to stand, grunting in pain. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as darkness encased his vision.</p><p>After that, he found himself on his bed in the house. His brothers were in the room, Donnie checking his vitals. "Here, drink this," it was the typical pills and bottle of water he was served after he had a seizure. He took it, swallowing down the pills. "Everything's going to be okay."</p><p>Though the youngest turtle doubted that. He turned onto his side, staring ahead at the wall. "I'm tired..." he croaked, in hopes that his brothers would leave him alone to rest.</p><p>"Okay, but please, if you need anything let one of us know," Donnie patted his arm gently.</p><p>"I'll stay here, if you want some company," Leo said, the sound of a chair scrapping against the wooden floor.</p><p>"No, I want to be alone," Mikey said, "please..." He could hear Leo let out a sigh.</p><p>"Okay, but please don't be so hard on yourself," Leo touched his shoulder gently. "And you matter more than you could know." Mikey nodded his head, staying quiet. He could hear Leo leave the room as the turtle was now alone with his own thoughts.</p><p>He was tired of this, tired of the seizures, tired of the pain. Even the tears hitting his skin felt like they were boiling him. Mikey took in a deep rattling breath. His brothers, along with April and Casey they were always taking care of him. Mikey turned so he was now facing the ceiling. "I just want this to end..." He couldn't even remember how to be happy anymore. It was like the person he was before his coma wasn't even him. No jokes, no laughter, no ball of sunshine, he just simply felt empty.</p><p>Forcing himself up, Mikey shakily removed the covers. What was the point of staying here anymore? To be a hindrance to his brothers? Someone that they would have to possibly take care of forever? He just wanted to be gone, to rid himself of the pain that he was feeling. Standing onto quivering legs, Mikey made his way to the open doorway. He could hear voices in the kitchen. Perhaps he could sneak past without any of them noticing. Clamping down tightly onto his tongue to keep himself from crying out in pain, Mikey took several steps down the stairs this time without his own crutches.</p><p>The voices were blurring, he couldn't comprehend what they were saying as he was suddenly feeling dizzy. Everything was being distorted, but he only had one goal in mind: escape. His hand wrenched open the door handle before closing the door as quietly as he possibly could.</p><p>And then he staggered off the porch, his vision blurring as he forced himself to continue on across the grass and away from the Farmhouse.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Lost</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At some point he must've passed out, for the orange masked terrapin found himself lying amongst a pile of leaves. The air was getting chilly, his skin tingling with a numbing sensation. Then he felt a flare of pain against his side. The thing was it felt sharp to the touch. "Ngh," Mikey groaned, shifting uneasily. The poking sensation continued as Mikey winced. He tried to swat his hand at it, though he was unsuccessful. Blinking hard to clear his vision that's when he found that someone was poking him... with a stick. "S-stop!" He said louder this time, demanding whoever was implementing torture upon him. "Leave me..." the stick pulled back, before jabbing his side again. "AGH!"</p><p>This time he managed to force himself up, and that's when the turtle realized who his offender was. It was no doubt some kind of mutant frog. And from the looks of it, they were everywhere. Where the heck was he!?</p><p>"Turtle is awake," the frog in front of him announced. Mikey could notice the mudpie on top of his head.</p><p>"So he lives," a frog with an eye glass sneered. "What kind of fool are you?" The frog with hanging whiskers snapped at the younger one, glaring at the speckled frog. "By bringing in a creature like this!" A finger pointed at Mikey.</p><p>"But I couldn't just leave him to die..." the younger frog said.</p><p>"And this is why you are an idiot! Take that turtle away!"</p><p>"No." Another voice spoke, Mikey fought hard to keep himself awake. He couldn't even tell if he was dreaming. Was he really in some sort of treetop among a gang of mutant frogs? "This turtle is unwell. How can he be of any harm?"</p><p>"His shell got secrets!"</p><p>"And his shell protects him," the bigger frog declared. It was clear that he was the leader, judging from the tiny twig crown he wore.</p><p>"But lo, even he hides his identity!" The frog growled. "With an orange bandana mask!"</p><p>"Michel.... angelo..." Mikey wheezed. Several heads gazed at him.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Michelangelo," the younger speckled frog repeated, scratching the side of his face. "That's what he said. His name is Michelangelo."</p><p>"Mi.... key..." Mikey managed to rasp as the light-green frog knelt down in front of him.</p><p>"Or I think he meant Mikey."</p><p>"Tch, look at you defending such a helpless creature!"</p><p>"I never asked for your input, Genghis!" The frog lifted his head, glaring at the one with whiskers. So that ugly frog was Genghis, Mikey closed his eyes momentarily trying to catch his breath.</p><p>"Don't mind him, Napoleon," the frog who wore a crown on the top of his head said. Mikey groaned as he could feel himself being lifted into a sitting position. He blinked wearily several times to clear his vision.</p><p>"Tell me, Michelangelo. What happened? Why you have no home? Why are you alone in such woods like these?"</p><p>"I was stuck... at house with my brothers and two human friends..." Loud gasps could be hear echoing as Mikey tilted his head. Why did they react that way, some frogs with terrified expressions.</p><p>"You lived with humans?" The king pulled his head back in shock.</p><p>"Yeah... but I can't go back... I don't want to..."</p><p>"Of course you don't, there's no need," the frog patted his shoulder. "You are free. You can stay with us."</p><p>"W-what?..." Mikey could feel his jaw drop. This had to be some sort of dream right? He hadn't planned to runaway and live another live with some strangers. The plan was to let himself die out in these woods, and simply... cease. However, judging from the flaring pain he felt against his sides. This was no dream. These mutant frogs had found him.</p><p>"Please, someone fetch this turtle some water. He is weak."</p><p>The orange clad terrapin was leaned back against a tree, as the frog wearing a mudpie returned. He handed him a leaf with a droplet of water, allowing the turtle to suck. "Name's Napoleon," he took a seat beside the turtle. Mikey nodded his head at that. He figured that the frog already knew his name since he said it before. "You don't seem like any other mutant I've seen before," he peered closer. "You've got a belt with some... weapons..."</p><p>"Oh that," Mikey grinned slightly. "I'm a ninja and these are my nun-chucks."</p><p>"Wait, wait, wait. You're a ninja?" The frog's eyes were nearly bulging out from their sockets. "That is so rad! Can you teach me?" He stood as Mikey blinked. "Once you're feeling better, of course," he added.</p><p>This was certainly going to be interesting.</p><p>•••</p><p>"No, no, no," Leo shook his head, fighting back the onslaught of tears. "He couldn't have ventured out far." The three brothers had been in the kitchen chatting with April and Casey. That was, until Raphael questioned what that clicking noise was. It sounded like a door click. And that's when they found that Michelangelo's room was completely empty and he was gone, no where to be found. There was no doubt that he had just left, ran away without leaving anything behind.</p><p>"Oh, this is not good," Donnie clutched both sides of his face. "Especially in the condition he's in!"</p><p>"Why!?" Raph slammed his fist against the bark tree to his right, jarring it slightly.</p><p>"He doubted himself," Leo curled a fist against his side. "Said he was useless..." April and Casey's eyes widened, sharing a worrisome glance betwixt themselves.</p><p>"How could he ever think that?" Raph's eyes were wide with horror, tears evident. "Twerp's not even close!"</p><p>Donnie sighed heavily. "I should've ran some mental diagnosis on him too," the genius could feel his bottom lip trembling. "And not only physical therapy, but therapy for his own mind too... He's probably depressed, anxious and doesn't know how to deal with these emotions that he's feeling."</p><p>"He's never been the same since he woke up," Raph said, clenching his fists tightly. Now he could no longer hold back his tears. "He's never said a joke... doesn't smile as he used to... I just want the real Mikey back..."</p><p>"I know," Leo could his tears hitting his cheeks. He turned, gazing ahead as the leaves rustled in the cool wind. It was beginning to get dark soon. "But we can't give up on him. Not now, not ever."</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. FOUND</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mikey awoke to himself lying among a pile of fluffy leaves. He shifted, lifting himself up. Sure enough, there were frogs around him. So last night was no dream. The komorebi peaking between the leaves. It appeared to be morning. The terrapin shook his head, before gasping as Napoleon appeared in front of him. "You're awake. How you feeling?"</p><p>"Better," Mikey rubbed his shoulder. "I suppose."</p><p>"Here, suck on this herb. King Attila says it should help to cure the aliment in your body." Mikey did so, sucking onto the leaf. It left a bitter taste on the back of his tongue as he grimaced in disgust. "Here's some flies I also caught for you." Napoleon opened his palm to reveal two crushed flies. Mikey stared as the bugs were plopped onto his open palms. "Go on." Scrunching up his face, the turtle threw the dead flies into his mouth as he began to chew.</p><p>"We have captured them, two humans journeying with three other turtles," Genghis said to the king. Mikey sat up in alarm.</p><p>"You what?" He found himself standing suddenly without any discomfort. Perhaps the herb thing that Napoleon told him to suck did do something to him? To what extent he did not know, but it felt like he was suddenly new again. His legs still felt weak, but they weren't wobbling as violently as they used to. "You've got my brothers and April and Casey!?" The turtle flung himself in front of the king. "Please, let them go!"</p><p>"Allow the turtles, but keep the humans in their cages," the king lifted his hand.</p><p>"But they're my friends!" Mikey could feel himself panic. As much as he wanted to be away from them, but he couldn't fathom any harm done upon them. No, not even to his own brothers, not even to those two human friends. Sure he may have not interacted with April and Casey much, not as much as he did with his bros. But they were like family too.</p><p>"Then you are a traitor! Seize him!" Attila hollered.</p><p>"NO!" Mikey's eyes widened as Napoleon flung himself in front of him, taking the blow from Genghis who tried to grasp the freckled turtle.</p><p>"Don't hurt him, he's my friend!" Mikey could feel himself stumbling backwards, as various frogs leapt at him. The freckled terrapin groaned, as he could feel his shell slamming against the wood. And then, the treetop fell away. He had fallen, tumbled over the edge. Somehow, an instinct within him propelled him to lash out his kusarigama chain. He didn't know what overcame it, but something familiar. It was as if his muscles had their own memory and simply knew what to do. The blade embedded itself against the bark of another tree, jerking him to a halt just inches below the ground. Mikey groaned at the force of the impact, wincing at the pain as he tried to take in deep breaths. No, he couldn't pass out now.</p><p>"MIKEY!" He lifted his head to find three empty wooden cages, except for two of them which held April and Casey. His brothers were already out, trying to fight against the frogs that advanced upon them. So they had escaped their prisons?</p><p>Raphael charged towards him, knocking every body away from his path. Before the orange masked turtle could react, he was pulled into a swift hug. "You're okay!" Raph's muscled arms tightened around him, Mikey feeling his cheek being squashed against his brother's plastron. The hug was a little bit painful, but before Mikey could voice his thoughts he noticed the tears. Raphael was crying.</p><p>"Donnie, free April and Casey! We have to get out of here!" Something was burning, smoke filling the air. The croaking of frogs shrieking into the air.</p><p>"Don't ever do that again," Raph gently set him down as Mikey gathered his bearings. "Ya hear me?" he could feel a rough hand grasping his shoulder gently. "You are important, bro." Mikey blinked, feeling his own tears welling up his eyes. It wasn't like Raphael to be so sincere with his feelings, but seeing him look so broken only tore his heart in half. So they really did care... then what was he thinking!? He caused them so much by simply running away?</p><p>"Is everyone okay?" Leo ran over towards the two, taking a hold of Mikey's right arm. Donnie was tending to April and Casey, freeing them their cages as he hurried them away from the massive incoming attacks from the frogs. Up on the treehouse a fire was spreading. "Come on, we have to get out of here!" Leo gently tugged onto his brother's arm.</p><p>"No!" Mikey shook his head. "My friend!" He pointed up above to the treetop. He remembered that he took the hit for him. There was no doubt that he was fighting against his own kind up on there, alone. And now the tree was on fire. Frogs panicking in all directions. "He's still up there. Napoleon!"</p><p>Leo released him, giving a curt nod. "I'll find him. Take everyone to safety!" The leader in blue commanded.</p><p>"We'll help!" April followed after him along with Casey.</p><p>"Come on," Mikey could feel Raph tugging him along.</p><p>"No, I have to," he could feel himself struggling against his brother.</p><p>"Mikey, you can't," the hothead squeezed him gently. "Let Leo handle this."</p><p>The five of them were huddling together, a safe distance away from the burning tree with a myriad of frog mutants off to the side. They didn't even bother, all too horrified that their home had burned down.</p><p>Mikey could feel Raph's grip on him. It was clear that he wasn't letting go anytime soon. Mikey couldn't blame him, after all, he ran away from them. And now he could feel nothing but guilt. They still managed to find him anyway.</p><p>The smoke cleared to reveal Leonardo with a few frogs behind him. The king Attila, and Napoleon. "NAPOLEON!" And this time Raph released him. The orange masked turtle rushed to his friend, much to his brother's surprise. They had never seen Mikey walk so flawlessly before.</p><p>"Is it just me or is Mikey walking way better now?" Casey whispered.</p><p>"No he definitely is, Casey," April said.</p><p>"Well, whatever happened, I'm glad he is," Donnie smiled, feeling a tinge of hope swelling inside. Perhaps just maybe, the old Mikey was slowly coming back. The freckled turtle hugged his friend tightly. His brothers watched as Leo nodded his head at Attila.</p><p>"Thank you," the king said. "For saving me and my people." Genghis was off to the side, scowling, with his arms folded against his chest. "I suppose, not all humans are bad." The king turned to thank April and Casey.</p><p>"Of course, not all humans are bad," April smiled, glad that the king didn't no longer show such distaste towards them.</p><p>"Here, I got something for you," Napoleon held out a jar. "I managed to save these for you."</p><p>"Thank you, dude," Mikey took the jar, opening it to throw the flies into his mouth. Sure it was disgusting this morning. But how could he turn down his friend's friendly offer? They were friends, and it just felt like the most viable thing to do. Raph and Donnie both grimaced in disgust as Leo smiled.</p><p>This was the first time Mikey had done something... rather gross. As much as the brothers cringed at the memories of Mikey from the past. Leo couldn't help but to smile. The frogs began to gather as he told Donnie and Raph to let Mikey have some time with the frog. It was obvious that the two were friends. It was a typical Mikey thing to become so easily friends with someone. But Napoleon was no normal frog, but rather someone special. Even Leo could feel it.</p><p>They watched as Mikey waved goodbye to his friend as the frogs advanced away. Mikey dropped his hands to his sides, not even realizing that his three brothers had surrounded him.</p><p>"I'm glad you're okay," Leo whispered, tugging Mikey into a side hug. The youngest turtle could feel pairs of arms enveloping him. "But please... don't ever run away again. We need you here, even if you don't feel like it."</p><p>Mikey could feel the tears coming back full force, a sob wracking through his body. "I'm sorry..."</p><p>"We love you, you know that right?" Donnie squeezed the youngest gently. "We care about you. Next time you feel low like this, please tell one of us, rather than running away or doing anything worse. We can't ever lose you."</p><p>"Love you, bro," Raph added. Mikey sobbed, feeling his brothers tighten the group hug. April and Casey awed at the sight.</p><p>"You know, I have to admit I'm proud of you," Leo said.</p><p>"H-m?" Mikey lifted his head, his teary eyes meeting Leo's who were also leaking with tears.</p><p>"You truly do have a heart of sunshine, Otouto. You believed in someone, like Napoleon, believe in him when nobody else could. You saw the potential he had. You made a friend, and I'm proud of you."</p><p>Mikey sniffled, "you really think so?"</p><p>"Yeah, you see things in way that others don't, and I mean in a good way." A faint smile appeared on Mikey's lips. It was the first time, that Mikey genuinely smiled.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. One with Nature</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been weeks, since the ordeal with the frogs. Mikey returned back to the Farmhouse. And this time, Donnie began a whole new other therapy session with him. It started with finding other ways to deal with the turmoil of emotions and feelings he had. And he did promise that he would tell them anything that was on his mind. It would also help during the healing process.</p>
<p>Though he was walking better, and no longer needed a crutch. Mikey sat outside one day with Leo sitting beside him. Ever since he returned the freckled turtle did notice just how overprotective his older brothers became. None of them would leave him out of their sight. I mean, he couldn't blame them, he ran away. Certainly they didn't want the same to happen again, though the youngest didn't have any intention of doing so. Sure he still had those feelings, and decided to tell Leo about it.</p>
<p>The leader wrapped an arm around him, reminding him. He was the sunshine of their family, and even if it didn't feel like he had much of role Leo decided to share a little secret.</p>
<p>"Hm?" Mikey turned to gaze at his oldest big brother.</p>
<p>"Out of anyone, you amaze me the most."</p>
<p>"I do?" Mikey tilted his head. Raph and Donnie had finally come out and were sparring off to the side, grunts and punches slapping against skin in the background.</p>
<p>"Yes," Leo smiled fondly, patting Mikey's head. "Look at you, you've come so far."</p>
<p>"I have," Mikey nodded.</p>
<p>"From being in a coma, and to this. You've never stopped fighting, most people wouldn't be able to handle you've gone through. You have a strong spirit, Otouto." The freckled turtle smiled at that, leaning against Leo.</p>
<p>Just then Donnie yelled loudly, carapace slamming against a tree as a piles of leaves fell. Raph stood back, laughing at the sight of Donnie poking is head out as he was practically buried in leaves, with some on top of his head, and some even in his mouth. Leo also began to laugh at the sight but then everyone froze as a jittery laugh joined them. Three heads turned to find Mikey laugh, and coughing slightly. But there was no doubt. Michelangelo was laughing.</p>
<p>Mikey suddenly felt himself being glomped into a turtle pile by all three of his brothers as he yelped. "Love you dudes," he said, trying to wrap an arm around them all.</p>
<p>And that's when Leonardo suggested that they leave the Farmhouse, and to venture out in nature away from TV, T-phones and junk food. Naturally Mikey would've freaked, but this time he agreed. A little adventure for once!</p>
<p>So they left to gather all their belongings that they would need for camping out in the woods. Donnie told April that he would be back later, now as the two teens would stay at the Farmhouse.</p>
<p>The four turtle brothers walked out into the woods, with backpacks slung over their shells. They came across a creek as Mikey began to hop from rock to rock. Usually his brothers would tell him to not goof around, but this time they allowed Mikey to be. Watching as the youngest gazed around with bright twinkling baby blue eyes. Mikey was curious, just being himself and nothing was a lovelier sight than that.</p>
<p>For the next few days they made camp between some trees. Leo told them to practice sparring, and to meditate. They built a campfire one night as Mikey found some nuts and berries from several bushes. All the while Leo had caught some rabbit meat for them to eat. Roasting it over the fire as it became tender. This certainly would be quite the experience. They began to eat as the fire began to die down as the crickets chirped around then. It was getting late.</p>
<p>Then suddenly the fire turned blue, as Master Splinter appeared. It seemed like a ghost, or some sort of hologram. "Master Splinter?!" Leo gasped.</p>
<p>Mikey could feel the tears burning. He remembered what happened, the rat, their father. He reached out a desperate hand towards him. "Papa..."</p>
<p>"My spirit is detached from my body, but I am alive," the mutant rat spoke.</p>
<p>"You're alive?" Donnie gasped.</p>
<p>"Where are you, Sensei?" Leo leaned forward. "We can help you."</p>
<p>"You cannot yet. There is much you must overcome. If you cannot find your inner, spiritual strength, you will not stand a chance against the Shredder."</p>
<p>Leo spared a quick glance towards Mikey who was silent. The rat followed his gaze before continuing: "choose what holds us back and what moves us forward. You will all learn this. Each of you must journey out alone to face your spiritual adversary." All eyes were on him, Splinter turned to the crimson masked terrapin. "Raphael, your temper is like a fire that you must learn to focus for power." The turtle in turn nodded his head. "Michelangelo, your mind is overrun with distractions. Learn to be strong and calm, like the forest." Mikey blinked at this.</p>
<p>
  <em>Calm like the forest? What that mean?</em>
</p>
<p>"Donatello, you rely too much on your mind, and not on your body. Be strong, like the mountain. Leonardo. You must be the leader in body and spirit. Be like the wind. Let nothing weigh you down. Sleep now, my sons. For your greatest trail awaits on the spiritual plane. For the challenges you face there will be just as deadly as those you face in the real world. Be warned." He then suddenly disappeared along with the fire which were now only burning embers.</p>
<p>"Dude," Mikey broke the stunned silence. "That was deep."</p>
<p>"You heard him, ninjas," Leo nodded. "Our quest is clear. We will begin tomorrow. You should forge new weapons and armor separate into our paths." A pair of midnight blue, mahogany and lime green eyes all glanced at Mikey.</p>
<p>"What?" The orange clad turtle shrugged his shoulders.</p>
<p>"You promise you won't run away again?" Donnie dared to ask. Mikey could tell that none of them wanted to leave him out of sight.</p>
<p>He took in a deep breath, "I promise, even to Master Splinter."</p>
<p>"We will all meet near the creek when the quest is complete." Mikey nodded his head, watching as his brothers fell asleep. He too, joining them as he fell into deep slumber.</p>
<p>The next morning the four brothers awoke with a sense of dedication. Mikey pulled out a dull tan cloth from his belt, using this instead for his bandana. He then forged his own Kamas from wood, adding the blade to the end. He then smeared some black smudge onto his freckles as well.</p>
<p>"Good luck everyone. Kentou o."</p>
<p>"Kentou o," they all said in unison. They went in separate directions as Mikey found himself walking along trees of jade that tore like skyscrapers into the sky. A thin sheet of smog floated at his feet giving the forest an eerie feeling.</p>
<p>There was the sound of rustling as Mikey braced himself into a fighting stance. "Who's there? Show yourself!" A shadow passed over his head as a black body slammed into him. Mikey grunted, his shell lodging into the dirt beneath him. There above him, Rahzar snarled.</p>
<p>Mikey screamed, lashing out with his Kamas to knock the mutant wolf back. He managed to fling himself onto a branch, surprised at how he could move so fluidly. Well that happened...</p>
<p><em>Be swift and calm like the forest. </em>Mikey stood there clinging to the tree. He closed his eyes, taking a few calming breaths. As much as his brain hurt to think sometimes, he decided to let it go. To let it simply flow. A placid feeling washed over his body as he could hear the leaves rustling, and then Rahzar roaring as he leapt at him.</p>
<p>Mikey moved in tun with the trees, following the spiritual energy pulsing around him. He snapped his eyes open, kicking Rahzar as he fell down. Mikey sprung from the branch, landing with a thud as he tore out his twin Kamas tearing through Rahzar in half. A poof gray smoke poofed as the turtle stood. He finally understood. When one was in tune with nature, one was also in tune with spirit. And his spirit was far stronger than his own body, which had suffered so much for him. It may had been broken, including his own mind, but his spirit was never broken. Not even the Shredder could break something as pure as that.</p>
<p>Allowing the warmth to flow through him, the energy soothing. Mikey opened his eyes to find petals floating in the wind. The message was clear, propelling him forward. His body moved gracefully. Not single pain flaring, and this time his own mind wasn't frantic. He wasn't even worried that he would go into a seizure. His mind didn't need to be in a chaotic state, but to simply feel and flow, and to adapt.</p>
<p>Mikey followed the floating petals as he cane to the familiar creek where his brothers had crossed. And sure enough, they were there too. They were ecstatic to see him, running over to hug him tightly.</p>
<p>"I did it," Mikey told them. He glanced at Leo. "You were right, Leo. My body can be broken, even my mind. But nothing can break my spirit."</p>
<p>Leo smiled, tugging Mikey into a loving hug to which he returned. "I'm proud of you, little brother."</p>
<p>"You don't feel any pain?" Donnie inquired. Mikey pulled back from Leo shaking his head.</p>
<p>"No, I've realized that I need to rely on my spirit. To let it control and flow through my body. It doesn't hurt anymore, not even up here," Mikey pointed to his head.</p>
<p>"That is great! For a second I was worried you might have a seizure out here."</p>
<p>"Nope, hadn't had one bro for weeks."</p>
<p>"Well, that is the best thing I've heard all day. You are truly getting stronger, Mikey," he rubbed his brother's head gently. Mikey smiled, feeling Raph sling an arm around him.</p>
<p>The four of them followed Leo in the direction of the creek that led to a pathway back to the Farmhouse. Casey and April could be seen sparring, April splitting apart a block of wood before freezing as they watch their turtle friends.</p>
<p>"It's time," Leo turned to face his brothers. "To save New York." The brothers gathered into a tight hug.</p>
<p>Mikey could feel his heart swell. He was lucky to have the best brothers in the world, who would simply do anything for him and would always be there. They had been out here long enough, and it was time to return home.</p>
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